Elevator signal and control system



Jan. 5, 1937. 11 JAMES 2,066,937

ELEVATOR SIGNAL AND CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Aug. 24, 1954 3 SheetsSheet 2 A 2 y I 2 kw b a w W m a Mm w W 2 w a 0 D =u, m W 4 ,TUIZOF Ill fl flfl H w I 4 z 3 z 5 4 a z 5 4 3 liwli a a a a a c 0 c5 c a Z c c f 1 O 4 fll l l fimw EHMPHWUI I M I40 5 J3" L3 2 as 5W 6 a; o wd w M E I z I 2 I X/RJ X/D BID W?! .3I|3 l n? m w m. MW M M w w lj I 5 w, "7 4 3 2. l 2 m i; a W M v H mm UL A. Q w A a INVENTOR f/enrypfimes.

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WITNESSES Jan. 5, 1937. H. D. JAMES ELEVATOR SIGNAL AND CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Aug 24, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 2. 3 4X 5 X llll mw ew am aw fi l 1 w w w wmv c v av aw w w v 3 Vi iv in AW WM W M w. w U- L ZIUQY 2 e \l e a E 4 4 L; A? a w m w 4 M y A? 2 2 e Mm 2 m llll QU Q U z 3 m a M N N N w N in AT A? a afi H m H l l I i l i I i l I I I I l I I I I I a a a llllllllllllll fl lllllllllllllllllllllll 11 H m F F llllll Av iv in? 1| a Q E E llll mv mw fi lllllllllllllllllll I! m D p p p p p D llll AET Av I AT RNEY Patented Jan. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE ELEVATOR SIGNAL AND CONTROL SYSTEM Pennsylvania Application August 24,

16 Claims.

My invention relates to signal and control systems for elevators, and more particularly to signal and control systems for operating a bank of elevator cars.

One object of my invention is to provide a signal and control system which will promote the answering of calls and the loading and unloading of passengers in the most prompt and efficient manner.

Another object of my invention is to cause the stopping of any car to take on a prospective passenger to be directly responsive to the action of the passenger in pressing a button to make the car stop. 15 A further object is to provide a system in which the nearest car approaching a floor will light its iloor lantern at its hatchway door for the direction in which it is running to indicate to intending passengers that, if they wish that car to stop for them, they should press the stop button beside the hatchway door for that car.

A still further object is to provide an elevator system by which an intending passenger will know at once the elevator door for the next approaching car so that he may immediately go to that door, press the car stopping button thereat, and be ready to step on the car as soon as the door opens when the car stops.

Another object is to provide a system in which each car has its own floor lanterns and its own push-buttons beside its own hatchway doors, and the nearest approaching car will automatically light its floor lantern and render the push-button at its hatchway door effective for operation. so that if the button beside a hatchway door is pressed while the floor lantern beside that hatchway door is lighted, it will cause the approaching car to stop at that floor when it arrives thereat.

It is also an object of my invention to provide for illuminating the threshold plate at the entrance to a hatchway door after the car stop button at that hatchway door has been made effective and has been operated to stop the car approaching that hatchway door.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l. is a diagrammatic representation of an elevator installation of a bank or group of cars embodying my improved signal and control system.

Fig. 2 illustrates a suitable arrangement of the contact segments and contact brushes for the floor selectors included in the apparatus for operating the cars shown in Fig. 1.

1934, Serial No. 741,218

Fig. 3 comprises a diagrammatic representation, in what is known as the straight-line style, of the signal and control system employed in operating one of the cars shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3A comprises an explanatory illustration of the relays embodied in Fig. 3.

The relays in Fig. 3A are arranged with their coils and contact members disposed in horizontal alinement with their positions in the straightline circuits of Fig. 3, so that the reader may readily determine the identification of any relay, the number and kind of its contact members, and the position of its coil and its contact members in the straight-line circuits. For convenience in reading the drawings, Fig. 3A should be placed beside Fig. 3.

For convenience, the main relays included in the system are designated as follows:

C=Stop pushbuttons in car.

CC=Holding coils ior stop buttons on car.

D=Down direction switch in car. E=Decelerating inductor relay.

F Stopping inductor relay.

G Inductor maintaining relay.

H=Inductor restoring relay.

J =Stop buttons at floor landings.

K=Illuminating threshold lamps.

L Floor lanterns or lamps.

M Start buttons in car.

N Bypass relay.

R=Registering relays for holding stop calls on floor buttons.

T Stopping relay.

U=Up direction switch.

V= High speed relay.

W=Up direction preference relay.

X=Down direction preference relay.

In connection with the reference characters applied to the relays, it may be noted that the letters U and D indicate up and down direction, the prefix numerals indicate the floors and the sufiix numerals indicate the contact members of the relays. For instance, 3R indicates the registering relay at the third floor and 3Rl indicates one pair of contact members operated by that relay.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I have illustrated an elevator installation embodying a bank of two cars A and B for serving five floors or landings. The cars are indicated 'as suitably suspended by hoisting cables H and I2 which pass over hoisting drums l3 and M to suitable counterweights l5 and 16, respectively.

Although I have illustrated only two cars and a signal and control system therefor as applied to only five floors, it is to be understood that the system is equally applicable to any desired number of cars operating past any number of floors.

Referring to the control system for car A as shown in Fig. 3, the hoisting drum I3 is directly coupled to an armature l! of a suitable hoisting motor l8, the field winding IQ of which is connected, for constant voltage energization, to a source of supply designated by the supply conductors L+l and L-l.

A variable voltage system of control may be provided for operating the hoisting motor l8 wherein the armature I1 is connected in a closed circuit with the armature 2| of a generator 22. The generator is provided with a separately excited field winding 23 and a cumulative series field winding 24. A resistor r is connected. in the circuit of separately excited field winding 23. for controlling the speed of the generator. The armature 2l of the generator may be driven by any suitable motor (not shown).

A brake 5 operated by a brake magnet 6 is provided for applying a braking efiect to the} hoisting drum l3 when the car is to be brought to a stop, the brake magnet 6 being energized to release the brake 5 when the car is running and being deenergized to apply the brake when the supply of power to the car is cut off.

The direction and speed of the hoisting motor I8 may be suitably controlled by controlling the direction and value of the excitation current that is supplied to the separately excited field winding 23 of the generator 22. The direction of excitation current for the field winding 23 may be suitably controlled by means of an up direction switch U and a down direction switch D While the value of the current supplied to the field winding may be controlled by means of a high speed relay V which controls the resistor r.

The up direction and the down direction switches U and D are controlled by an up start button UM and a down start button DM in the car. To start the car, the up button UM or the down button DM is pressed momentarily by the car attendant. This energizes the up or the down direction switch and causes the energized switch to establish a self-holding circuit which causes the switch to be held in until the car approaches a stop, when an automatic stopping system responsive to the stop push buttons at the floors and in the car causes the car to automatically slow down and, stop. The stop buttons at the floors are to be operated by the waiting passengers and the stop buttons in the car are to be operated by the car attendant.

Although any suitable stopping system may be utilized for automatically stopping the car level with the floors it serves, I have illustrated an automatic inductor relay landing system similar to that disclosed in Patent 1,884,446 issued October 25, 1932, to K. M. White and G. H. Herm and assigned to the Westinghouse Electric Elevator Company.

The automatic landing system for car A (Fig. 1) includes a high speed decelerating inductor relay E and a stopping inductor relay F for automatically decelerating the car from its high speed and stopping it at an exact level with the fioor. The high speed decelerating inductor relay E is mounted on car A in position to cooperate with an inductor plate UE for the up direction and an inductor plate DE for the down direction. The stopping inductor relay F cooperates with an inductor plate UP for the up direction and an inductor plate DF for the down direction. The inductor plates are constructed of magnetic material and are mounted in the hatchway in such position as to cooperate with and open the contact members of the inductor relays on the car when the relays are in an energized condition as the car approaches a floor at which a stop is to be made.

For simplicity, only one set of inductor plates for one floor have been shown, but it will be understood that a set similar to that shown may be provided for each floor served by the car intermediate its upper terminal landing and its lower terminal landing. Also, if desired, a set of inductor plates corresponding to the inductor plates UE and UF may be provided for the upper terminal and a set corresponding to the inductor plates DE and DF may be provided for the lower terminal. However, in the present instance, it will be assumed that the cars are decelerated and stopped at their terminal floors by the usual well known limit switches. In view of this, no specific means will be illustrated in the present case for stopping the cars at the terminal floors.

As shown, each inductor relay is provided with two sets of contact members. For an up stop, the contact members El of relay E cooperate with the inductor plates UE and the contact members Fl cooperate with the up inductor plates UF. For the down direction the contact members E2 of relay E cooperate with the inductor plates DE and the contact members F2- with the inductor plate DE.

The contact members of the inductor relays just described are so connected with the car control circuits that, when the inductor relays are energized to decelerate and stop the car at the floor represented by the inductor plates in the down direction, the contact members E2 pass the inductor plate DE and are thereby opened to decelerate the car from high speed to stopping speed. As the contact members F2 come opposite the inductor plate DF, they open to stop the car level with the floor. The contact members El of the relay E and Fl of the relay F are opened by the inductor plates UF and DE when a stop is to be made in the up direction.

The inductor relays are of the self-holding type that is, when they are energized but have not yet come opposite the inductor plate the contact members remain closed, but when the relay comes opposite the inductor plate the contact members adjacent the plate move to their open position and are held in such open position until the inductor relay is deenergized. The means for holding the contact members in the open position on inductor relay E are the extended portions 28 and 29.

For instance, it will be seen that when the inductor relay E passes the down inductor plate DE in an energized condition, the contact members E2 are opened by the arm 29a moving upwardly to a position where it is attracted and held by the magnetized projection 29. Therefore, the opened contact members remain open and do not, after passing the inductor plate, reclose. This avoids complicating the operation of the control system. However, I do not desire to be limited to inductor relays of this particular type because inductor relays of temporary opening contact members (well known in the art) may be used just as readily if the motor control system is adapted to cooperate with them.

The exact position of the inductor plates in the hatchway and of the inductor relays on the cars cannot be given here because the position of these devices varies in each installation by reason of differences in hoisting motors, weight of cars, height of ceilings, etc. However, in the many commerical installations of inductor stopping systems heretofore made, it has been found that the mechanics have no difficulty in ascertaining, while the cars are first tried out in operation, just the precise position in which the plates and relays should be placed. For simplicity only two inductor relays are shown, but it is understood that any desirable number may be used in accordance with the number of stops of deceleration desired.

An inductor maintaining relay G is provided for maintaining the inductor relays in an energized condition after they are energized until the stop for which they are energized is completed.

Inasmuch as the energized inductor relays remain energized after their contact members are opened by a passage near the inductor plates, and inductor restoring relay H is provided for deenergizing the inductor relays after a stop has been made, and also for so interlocking them electrically that they can be energized only while the car is moving.

The energization of the inductor relays on a car to decelerate and stop the car at the various floors is effected by a stopping relay T which is operated by stop pushbuttons in the car or by stop pushbuttcns on the floor landings. The energization of the stopping relay T will, as the car nears the floor at which a stop is to be made. energize the inductor relays on that car and thereby cause it to decelerate and stop at that floor. Hence, it will be understood that the car is started by pressing either th up or the down start button in the car and is stopped by pressing either a stop button in the car or a stop button. beside a hatchway door at a floor.

The stop buttons in the car for energizing the stopping relay T comprise one for each of the intermediate floors. The pressing of a stop button in the car by a car attendant will register a stop call, or in other words, initiate and maintain a circuit which will be completed as the car arrives within a predetermined distance of the floor corresponding to the button and thereby then energize the stopping relay T which will, in turn, energize the inductor relays to stop the car at that iioor. In that manner the car may be stopped at any intermediate iloor by pressing the stop button in the for that floor. The stop buttons in car A are designated as 2C, 3C and 5C for the second, third, and fourth floors, respectively, no buttons being necessary for the terminal floors as the car will be automatically stopped at these floors by its up limit and its down limit switches.

The car stop buttons are provided with holding or registering coils ECC, 30C and 4C0 which hold the buttons in a depressed position after they are pressed by the car attendant when making stops from within the car. The coils are deenergized by limit switches when the car reaches the terminals to release the buttons for the next direction of operation. The stop pushbuttons at the hatchway doors at the various floors for energizing the relay T comprise one for each car at each floor landing. The individual floor stop pushbuttons for car Aare designated as 2J for the second floor, BJ for the third floor and AJ for the fourth floor, no buttons being provided for the terminal floors as the cars are stopped at the fioors by the usual limit switches (not shown).

Associated with the floor stop buttons for car A are floor stop call registering relays 2R, SR, and 4B. The registering relays operate to main tain a floor button circuit in a; registered condition after the button is pressed until the car arrives at the floor.

With the registering relay, the momentary pressing of the floor button for 'car A. will register or initiate and maintain a circuit for the floor button which will energize the push button stopping relay T for car A as the car approaches the floor in the direction corresponding to the button, and it will not be necessary to continue pressing that button, after it has once operated, to maintain a stop call for car A.

The floor stop buttons for each car are disposed beside the hatchway doors (see door 2! for the second floor in Fig. 1) so that a waiting passenger may readily reach and press the button when standing in front of the hatchway door.

Inasmuch as each car has its own stop button beside its own hatchway door at each floor, it is an object of my invention to point out to a waiting passenger at a floor the hatohway door for the next car going in the direction he desires to go, so that he may go to that door and operate the stop button there to maize the car stop when it arrives and also be ready to step u on the car when it arrives and stops.

This is accomplished by placing an up direction "floor lantern and down direction floor lantern beside each hatchway door at each floor and by causing the approach of the car to withi a predetermined distance of a floor to light lantern its hat away door at that floor for the direction operation, that the lighting of a floor .'n will indicate to a waitin passenger which hatchway door he should go to and press the stop button to stop the next approaching car in the direction he desires to travel. In other words, each car establishes ahead of itself a predetermined signal zone defined by lighted lanterns for the floors at which it may be stopped and at the same time renders effective for stepping purposes its stopping buttons at those floors.

If the floor stop button not pressed at a iioor, the floo antern thereat is ext guished when the car the approach point to the floor at which it, be stopped. However, if the car stops, the remains lighted during the stop.

The up direction floor lanterns for car A are designated as iUL, ZUL, tUL and iUL for the first. second, third and fourth floors. The down direction lanterns for car A are designated as EDL, iDL, 3DL and 2DL for the fifth, fourth, third and second floors. Car B is also provided with a similar set of car lanterns.

It may also be noted that each or" the floor stop buttons is normally ineffective, and that no stop button at a floor is eii'ective for operation or can be made to stop its car except that button corresponding to that car for which a lantern is lighted at the floor. In other words, all the pushbuttons at a floor are normally ineffective except the button for the next approaching car in each direction where such approaching cars have come within a predetermined distance of the floor.

In order that certain circuits may be prepared for use only when car A is being moved upwardly and certain other circuits may be prepared for use only when car A is moving downwardly, I have provided an Lip-direction preference relay W and a down-direction preference relay X, which are controlled by limit switches and by the direction switches.

At various times in the operation of the elevators, a car may be so loaded that the attendant may desire to run past the outside stop calls for various floors. To permit this operation, each car is provided with a bypass button, that for car A being designated as 37 and that for car B being designated as B31. As long as the car attendant presses the bypass button in his car, that car will not stop in response to stop calls registered on its floor butrespond to any registered stop stop buttons. The operation of prevent the car from prewith lighted floor lanterns. Hence :1 of a bypass in a car will prevent that car :...oni dicating by its floor lanterns, when it approaches a floor.

A plurality of lamps are provided for illuminating the threshold plates at the hatchway doors of the cars, when stop calls have been registered on the floor stop buttons. The threshold illuminating lamps dis osed at the hatchway doc-rs for car A are de hates as K2 for the second floor, for the third floor and K4 for the fourth floor. When a passenger at a floor notices the illumination of the threshold plate at a hatchway door, he is informed that a stop call has been registered for the next car wing at that door in the direction indicated. by the associated floor lantern. The threshold lamps do not indicate the direction, that is taken care of by the illumination either the up direction or the down direction floor lantern.

In order that the circuits for the pushbuttons, floor lanterns, relay, etc., may be connected in accordance with the position of the cars with respect to the floors served, car A is provided with a floor selector SE (Fig. 1) and car 13 is provided with a floor selector BSE. The floor selectors may be of any suitable type such as are usually employed in elevator systems, and may be located in any suitable positions such, for example, as in the penthouse or in the elevator shaft.

The floor selector for car A is provided with a set of up contact segments, as shown in Fig. 2, arranged according to the floors and disposed to be engaged by cooperating up contact brushes an. 3|, 32 and 33 for the up direction, and 40, 4|, 42 and 43 for the down direction. The brushes are mounted upon and insulated from a suitable arm SM.

The movable arm SM is operated in accordance with the movements of the car A by means of a screw shaft 35, driven by some part of the operating mechanism of the car. The frictional engagement between the arm SM and its operat ing screw 35 causes the up brushes to bear against the up contact segments while the car is traveling upwardly and down brushes to bear against the down contact segments While the car is traveling downwardly, it being understood that the arm will tilt from the one position to the other when the direction of operation of the car is reversed. For a more complete deeription of the type of floor selector here shown.

reference may be had to the Smalley and Reiners Patent 634,220 of October 3, 1899.

In the present system, however, it is desirable to have the arm SM tilt to the opposite direction as soon as the car arrives at a terminal without waiting until the car actually begins to leave. For this reason, each floor selector is provided with a pair of electromagnets which tilt the selector arm to the up direction when the car arrives at the lower terminal and to the down direction when the car arrives at the upper terminal. The electromagnets on the floor selector SE for car A are designated as 33 for the up direction and 39 for the clown direction (Fig. 1).

The group of contact segments designated as a under the up brushes 30, 3| and Gil completes the circuits for energizing the floor lanterns at the hatchway doors for car A.

The group of up contact segments designated as b under the brush 33 are energized when stop calls are registered on the stop pushbuttons either within the car or at the hatchway doors for the purpose energizing the stopping relay T to stop the car on its up trip. No contact segments are shown for the terminal floors because the car is stopped for such floors by its limit switches.

The contact segments on the down side of the floor selector are by the down contact 0 to 43, inclusive, when the car is deand correspond to the down contact just described for the up "cction. e marked 0 are the down floor la... contact and d the down stopping contact segments.

Inasmuch as the lengths of the contact segments and the sizes of the brushes, as well their positions, will vary in accordance with the difference in the height of floor, speed of cars, etc. in different installations, it is impractical to give the exact dimensions and locations of such segments and brushes in this application. However, with the aid of the illustration given in Fig. 2, any one familiar with the elevator art should be able to arrange the contact segments and brushes on the floor selector to suit any particular installation after he has ascertained the desired characteristics of that installation.

Furthermore. each of the brushes 3!) and 3t and 40 and 4| should be long enough to span the opening between adjacent contact segments in moving from one to the other in order to prevent momentary deenergization or flickering of the floor lanterns.

It is believed that the invention may be understood more fully by the following assumed operation of the apparatus illustrated in the drawings.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be assumed that car A is standing at the third floor on an up trip and that the switches 26 are closed to connect the supply conductors L+l, LI, L-l-Z, and L2 to a source of electrical energy for controlling the operation of the car. The energization of the control system energizes the field winding IQ of the hoisting motor l8 and prepares that motor for operation. The connection of the control system also energizes the up direction preference relay W by a circuit extending from supply conductor L-H through the contact members D6, limit switch ULS, contact members X4 and coil W to the supply conductor Ll. The energization of the relay W closes its contact members W1, W2 and W3 to prepare a circuit for lighting the up lamps 2UL, 3UL and 4UL at the second, third and fourth floors.

Inasmuch as the contact brushes 30 and 3| are disposed on the contact segments a5 and a4, the up lamp 4UL for car A at the fourth floor and the down lamp 5DL for car A at the fifth fioor are lighted to indicate to the Waiting passengers at those floors that car A is approaching within stopping distance of those floors. The lantern 4UL at the fourth floor indicates to the waiting passengers that if they want a near approaching car to stop for them, they should press the floor stop button 4J beside the hatchway door for car A at the fourth floor. The lighting of the lamp 5DL will indicate to the waiting passengers at the fifth fioor that a near approaching car will arrive soon at that hatchway door for the down direction so that they may move to that door and be ready to step on the car as soon as it arrives.

Also, inasmuch as car A is standing at the third floor on an up trip, its high speed relay V is deenergized, thereby closing its contact members V2 and thus energizing the up floor lantern 3UL for car A at the third fioor by a circuit extending from supply conductor L+2 through the lantern 3UL, contact members W2, the contact segment a3, brush 32 and contact members V2 and NI to the supply conductor L2. The lighting of this lantern indicates to waiting passengers at the third floor that the car is on an up trip.

It will be assumed now that the waiting passenger at the third floor enters car A and that the car attendant closes the car door (not shown), thereby closing the door contact members 64, and then presses the starting button UM to move the car upwardly. The closing of the up starting button UM energizes the up direction switch U and the inductor restoring relay H by a circuit extending from the supply conductor L+l through the contact members of the button UM, contact members Fl, coil of switch U, and coil of inductor restoring relay H and the door and gate contact members 84 to the supply conductor L l.

The energization of the up direction switch U closes its contact members Ul, U2, U3, U4 and U5 and opens its contact members U6. The closing of the contact members U4 provides a self-holding circuit for the up direction switch U. The closing of contact members Ul energizes the brake magnet 6 to release the brake 5, and the closing of the contact members U2 and U3 energizes the auxiliary field winding 23 of the generator 22 by a circuit extending from the supply conductor L+l through the contact members U2, winding 23, contact members U3 and resistor r to the supply conductor Ll. The opening of the contact members U6 prevents energization of the down preference relay X while the car is moving upwardly and the closing of the contact members U5 energizes the high speed relay V by a circuit extending from the supply conductor L-l-l through the contact members U5 and El and the coil of relay V to the supply conductor Ll.

The energization of the high speed relay closes its contact members VI and opens its contact -members V2 and V3. The closing of the contact members Vl short-circuits the resistor r in the circuit of the field winding 23 and causes the car to move at high speed. The opening of the contact members V2 extinguishes the up direction lamp 3U'L at the third fioor for car A, and

the opening of the contact members V3 prevents operation of the stopping inductor relay F while the car is moving at high speed.

The energization of the restoring relay 1-! closes its contact members HI, thereby preparing a circuit for energizing the inductor relays when it is desired to make a stop.

It will be assumed that the waiting passenger desiring to get off at the fourth floor informs the attendant of that fact and that the attendant thereupon presses the stop car button 4C to cause the car to stop at the fourth floor. The pressing of the button 4C causes it to be held in by its holding coil 400 and thereby registers a call from within the car for the fourth floor which, in turn, energizes the stopping contact segment 124. As car A starts from the third floor and approaches the fourth floor, its up contact brush 33 engages the live stopping contact segment b4 for the fourth floor, thereby energizing the stopping relay T by a circuit extending from the supply conductor L+l through the contact members of button 40, the contact segment b4, brush 33 and the coil of relay T, to the supply conductor Ll.

The energization of the stopping relay T closes its contact members Tl thereby energizing the decelerating inductor relay E and the inductor holding relay G by a circuit extending from the supply conductor L+l in parallel through the coils of relays G and E and thence through the contact members TI and HI to the supply conductor Ll. The energization of relay G closes its contact members Gl to maintain the inductor relays in an energized condition until the car stops.

As car A comes closer to the fourth floor, the decelerating inductor relay E passes the up inductor plate UE, and is thereby operated to open its contact members El, thus deenergizing the high speed relay V to open its contact members VI and close its contact members V2 and V3. The opening of the contact members Vl inserts the resistor 1 in the circuit of the field winding 23 and thereby decreases the speed of the car from high speed to stopping speed. The closing of the contact members V2 completes a circuit for lighting the up lantern 4UL for car A at the fourth floor when the car comes to rest at that floor by a circuit extending from the supply conductor L+2 through the lantern 4UL, contact members WI, contact segment a4, brush 32, and contact members V2 and NI to the supply conductor L-2. The closing of the contact members V3 causes the inductor stopping relay F to be energized by a circuit extending from the supply conductor L+l through the contact members V3, the coil of relay F, and the contact members GI and HI to the supply conductor L-l.

As the car comes still closer to the fourth floor, the energized stopping inductor relay F passes the up indicator plate UP for the fourth floor and is thereby operated to open its contact members Fl to deenergize the up direction switch U, thereby opening its contact members Ul, U2, U3, U4 and U5 and closing its contact members U6.

The opening of the contact members U2 and U3 deenergizes the field winding 23, thereby stopping the hoisting motor l8, and the opening of the contact members Ul deenergizes the brake magnet 6 thereby applying the brake 5 to bring car A to a level stop, at the fourth floor. Thereupon the attendant opens the door (not shown) to permit the passenger to leave the car at the fourth floor. This operation also opens the door and safety contact members 64, thereby preventing operation of the car while the door and gate remain open.

It will be assumed now that the attendant closes the door and gate and presses the up starting button UM to run the car on up to the fifth floor in the same manner as described in moving the car from the third floor up to the fourth floor. As the car comes up to the fifth floor, the limit switches (not shown) cause it to decelerate and stop at the upper terminal. Also as the car moves into the terminal, its limit switch ULS is operated to deenergize the up direction preference relay W which in turn closes its contact members W4 in a circuit for the down direction preference relay X, thereby energizing that relay by a circuit extending from the supply conductor L+I through the contact members U6, the contact members of down limit switch DLS, the contact members W4 and the coil of relay X to the supply conductor L I. Therefore, as the car stops at the upper terminal, the up direction contact members WI, W2 and W3 of relay W are opened to prevent operation of the up floor lanterns 2UL, 3UL and 4UL for car A at the second, third and fourth floors and the down direction contact members XI, X2 and X3 are closed to prepare the circuits of the down floor lanterns 4DL, 3DL and 2DL of car A for operation.

Inasmuch as the down selector magnet 39 is in parallel with the coil of the down direction preference relay X, it is also energized to tilt the floor selector arm SM to the down direction thereby disengaging the upper brushes 30, 3|, 32 and 33 from the up side of the floor selector and causing the brushes 40, 4|, 42 and 43 to engage the down side of the floor selector. In this position, the down brushes 4!] and M engage the down contact segments 02, c3 and c4 at the second, third and fourth floors which causes the down lamps IDL, 3DL and 2DL at the hatchway doors of car A at the fourth, third and second floors to be lighted by the following circuits. The circuit for lantern 4DL extends from the supply conductor L+2 through the lantern 4DL, contact members XI, contact segment 04, brush 4| and contact members NI to the supply conductor L2. The circuit for lantern 3DL extends from supply conductor L+2, contact members X2, contact segment c3, brush 40 and contact members NI to the supply conductor L2. The circuit for lantern 2DL extends from the supply conductor L+2 through lantern 2DL, contact members X3, contact segments 02, brush 40 and contact members NI to supply conductor L--2.

Inasmuch as car A is now standing at the upper floor and ready for a down trip, its high speed relay V is deenergized, and, therefore, its contact members V2 are closed, thus lighting the down direction lantern 5DL for car A at the upper terminal by a circuit extending from the supply conductor L+2 through lamp 5DL, conductor 50, contact segment 05 and brush 42 and contact members V2 and NI to the supply conductor L2. All the down lamps at the hatchway doors of car A are now lighted to indicate to intending passengers the hatchway doors at which the next down car will appear and that ii. any passenger desires to stop that down car, he should walk to the indicated hatchway door and press the stop button beside it.

The deenergization of the down direction relay W when car A arrives at the upper floor also opens its contact members W5 thereby deenergizing the holding coils 20C, 30C and 40C for the car buttons. This operation releases the car button 40 upon which the car attendant had registered the fourth floor stop on the up trip.

Inasmuch as the down direction preference relay X was energized when the relay W was deenergized, the contact members X5 are closed to immediately reenergize the holding coils ZCC. 300 and 40C to enable the car attendant to register stop calls from within the car during the coming down trip.

With car A standing at the upper terminal ready for a down trip, it will be assumed that a waiting passenger at the second floor desires to make a down trip. Inasmuch as the floor lantern 2DL beside the hatchway door 21 of car A at the second floor is lighted as previously described, the waiting passenger at that floor is informed that if he will step to that door and press the stop button 21 thereat, he will stop a near approaching car at that door in the down direction. It will be assumed now that the waiting passenger walks to the hatchway door 21 and presses the down button U to stop the car, this action energizes the stop call registering relay 2R by a circuit extending from the supply conductor L+2 to the contact members 2.] to the coil of relay 2R, conductors 5|, 52 and 53, contact segment 02, brush 40 and contact members NI to the supply conductor L2.

The energization of the registering relay 2R closes its contact members 2RI, 2R2 and 2R3.

The closed contact members 2RI establish a selfholding circuit for the relay 2R, thereby registering the down stop call at the second floor for car A. The closed contact members 2R2 close a circuit from the supply conductor L+I to render the stopping contact segment d2 alive" so that when car A arrives near the second floor its brush 43 will engage the energized contact segment I12 and thereby effect the stopping of the car.

The closed contact members 2R3 energize the threshold lamp K2 at the second floor by a circuit extending from the supply conductor L+I through the contact members 2R3 and lamp K2 to the supply conductor LI. The energized lamp K2 illuminates the threshold plate 54 at the hatchway door 21 of car A and the waiting passenger is informed thereby that his stop call has been registered. This lamp also serves to illuminate the entrance to the car and thereby eliminates some of the danger which may occur if the car fails to stop exactly level with the floor.

It will be assumed now that the attendant in car A presses the down start button DM to make a down trip. The operation of the button DM energizes the down direction switch D by a circuit extending from the supply conductor L+I through the button DM, the contact members F2, the coil of relay D, the coil of relay H and the gate and door contact members 54 to the supply conductor L-I.

The energization of. the down direction switch D closes its contact members DI, D2, D3, D4, and D5 and opens its contact members D5. The closed contact members D4 complete a self-holding circuit for the down direction switch D. The closed contact members D2 energize the brake magnet 6 to release the brake 5 from the hoisting motor I8. The closed contact members DI and D3 energize the field winding as of the generator 22 by a circuit extending from the supply conductor L+il through the contact members D3, winding the contact members Di and resistor r to the supply conductor L-i. The energization of the generator 22 and the release of the brake 5 causes the car to start downwardly.

The closed contact members D5 energize the high s V by a circuit extending from ly conductor L-l-i through the contact members and E2 and the coil of relay V to the supply conductor Li. The energized relay V closes i s contact members VI and opens its contact members V2 and V3. The closing of the c 5 Vi short circuits the resistor 1* Hit of the field winding 23 and thereby car to run at high speed. The openthe contact members V2 extinguishes the antern SDL of car A at the upper terminal. The opened contact members V3 prevent enerhe stopping relay F while the car is .gh speed.

The closing of the contact members of button DM also energizes the inductor maintaining relay to close its contact members I-li, thereby preparing a circuit for energizing the inductor relays for stopping the car when the car approaches a floor at which a stop is to be made.

As car A leaves the fifth floor on its down trip, its floor lantern brush ll leaves the contact segment c l, thereby extinguishing the down lamp dDL for car A at the fourth floor because that car is now too close to the fourth floor to be stopped thereat. The fact that brush M has left the contact segment c4 also opens the circuit through which the registering relay 5R the fourth floor may be energized by pressing the button iJ, thereby rendering that button ineffective. As the car moves downwardly and leaves the fourth floor going to the third floor, the brush ii eaves the contact segment 03 and engages the contact segment 02.

The brush Ali in leaving the contact segment c3 opens the circuit for the down direction lamp SDL at the third floor for car A and extinguishes that lamp inasmuch as car A cannot now be stopped at the third floor because of its position and because the separation of the contact brush ll the contact segment 03 also prevents effective operation of the button 3J and the registering relay 33 at the third floor.

As car A comes to within a predetermined distance of the second floor, its brush 43 engages the live down stop contact segment 032 to stop the car at the second floor. The engagement of the brush and the contact segment d2 energizes the stopping relay T by a circuit extending fromthe supply conductor L+l through the contact members N4 and 2R2 and the contact segment d2, brush t3 and the coil of relay T to the supply conductor Ll. The energized relay '1 closes its contact members Ti, thereby ener gizing the decelerating inductor relay E and the inductor maintaining relay G by a circuit extending from the supply conductor L-H through the coils of relays G and E to the supply conductor Ll as previously described.

As car A comes closer to the second floor, the energized inductor relay E passes the down induct-or plate DE and is thereby operated to open its contact members E2, thus deenergizing the high speed relay V which new opens its contact members Vi and closes its contact members V2 and V3. The open contact members Vi reinsert the resistor r in the circuit of the field winding 23 and thereby causes the car to decel rate high speed to stopping speed. The clo the contact members V2 energizes l floor by a circuit extending from the conductor L-l-Z to the lantern iiDL, the co members X3, contact segment brush and contact members V2 and NZ to the supply con-- duct-or L2. The energized floor -tern 23L therefore remains lighted while the car A comes into and makes its down stop at the second floor. The lantern will not be extinguished until the car leaves, at which time it will be extinguished by the opening of the high speed contact members V2 and by the brush 32 leaving the contact segment 02.

The closing of the contact members l 52 with brush on segment 02 also I intains the regis tering relay in its ener -d condition until the car leaves the door at which time the con-- tact members V2 open and brush leaves the segment 02.

The closed contact members V3 cause the stopping inductor relay F to be energized by the circuit previously described. As car A approaches still closer to the second floor, inductor relay F comes opposite the inductor plate DF and is there-by operated to open its contact members F2 to deenergize the down direction switch I) and thereby bring the car to a stop.

The deenergized direction switch D opens contact members D2, l. D and D5 closes its contact members D5. The opened contact members D2 deenergize the brake magnet 6 and apply the brake 5 to the hoisting motor it. open contact members DI and. D3 deenergize the field winding 23 of the generator 22 and thereby stop the car level with the second floor. Car A is now standing on its down trip at the second floor with its floor lantern 2D];- lighted and it is assumed that the attendant opens the door and permits the waiting passenger to enter the car.

It will be assumed that the Waiting passenger enters the car and that the car attendant closes the door and starts the car downwardly to the lower terminal in the same manner as he started the car from the upper terminal. As the car starts away from the second floor, the r ste ing relay ER is tie-energized by the opening of the contact members V2, and thereby opens its contact members 2R3 thus extinguishing the threshold lamp K2 at the second floor. The opening of the contact members V2 also extinguishes the floor lantern ZDL at the second floor. It will also be assumed that the car is stopped at the lower terminal by the usual limit switches (not shown), that the passenger departs and that the car is run upwardly as pre viously described to the upper terminal where it takes on a sufiicient number of down passengers to fill the car.

It will be assumed again that a waiting passenger at the second floor, observing the lighted fiOOI' lantern EZDL at the hatchway door corre sponding to car A, Walks to that door and presses the button 2J in the same as the passenger described in the previous operation.

The pressing of the button ZJ registers a down stop call on car A at the second floor as previously described. It will now be assumed the attendant of car A operates the car a down trip as previously described but, inasmuch as he has a, full load, he presses the bypass button 31 in his car so as to bypass all down outside stop calls. The pressing of the button 31 energizes the bypass relay N by a circuit extending from the supply conductor L+l through the coil of relay N and the contact members of buttons 31 to the supply conductor L-l. The energization of the relay N opens its contact members NI, N2, N3 and N4. The opening of the contact members NI opens the circuit to the floor lantern brushes 40, 4| and 42 of car A, thereby extinguishing all of the down floor lanterns that were lighted for car A. Inasmuch as the down floor lanterns for car A are now extinguished, no waiting passenger will be given a signal that car A is approaching. If the waiting passenger at the second. floor presses the button 2J before the attendant in car A presses the bypass button the will know, by the extinguishment of the lantern ZEDL and the threshold light K2, that the car corresponding thereto is bypassing outside stops at the second floor and will be thus reini ecl to look to some other hatchway door an illuminated down lamp.

The opened contact members N any circuit from being" complet registering relays 4R, BR and long as the attendant holds his finger on the bypass button 31, no one at the floor landings can register a stop call for car A.

The open contact members N2, N3 and N5 in the circuits to the stopping segments d4, d3 and d2 prevent energization of these stopping contact segments by the floor registering stop buttons.

In view of the operation of bypass button as described, it will be seen at the car attendant in the can bypass all when he desires and at the same time prevent any registered stop calls being made ei'lective for his car and prevent the lighting of any floor lanterns to indicate that his car approaching any of the floors.

It also will be seen by the foregoing general description that I have provided a simple signal and control system for a group of elevator cars by which waiting passengers at the various floors will be given signals which will indicate to them the hatchway door at which the next car for their direction of travel will appear so that they may at once walk to that door, press the stop button to stop the car for that door when it arrives and be ready to step on the car as soon as the door opens. It will also be seen that this system will eliminate the necessity of a passenger watching all of the hatchway doors to locate the one at which a car will stop in response to his stop call.

Although I have illustrated and described only one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the same may be modified or changed in many respects without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an elevator system for operating a car past a plurality of hatchway doors, a signal device for each door, and means responsive to the approach of the car to within a predetermined distance of each door for energizing the signal device at that door and for deenergizing the signal device when the car passes the point beyond which it cannot be decelerated to a stop at that floor.

2. In an elevator system for operating a car past a plurality of hatchway doors, a floor lanalso prevent energize the v. "-2 Therefore, as

outside calls tern at each door, and means responsive to the approach of the car to within a predetermined distance of each door for lighting the floor lantern at that door and for extinguishing the lantern when the car passes the point beyond which it cannot be decelerated to a stop at that floor.

3. In an elevator system for operating a car past a plurality of hatchway doors, a signal device at each door, means responsive to the approach of the car to within a predetermined distance of each door for energizing the signal device at that door and for deenergizing the signal device when the car passes the point beyond which it cannot be decelerated to a stop at that floor, and means responsive to stopping the car at a door for energi ing the signalling device thereat until the car i. In an elevator system, a bank of cars operable past a plurality of floors each having a hatchway door for each car, a normally ineffective call-registering device for each door for each car, and means responsive to operation of the cars for rendering effective the call-re istering devices corresponding to each car in predetermined zone ahead of that car.

5. In an elevator system for operating a car past a hatchway door, control means for the car including a normally ineffective control device at the door, and means responsive to the approach of the car to within a predetermined distance of the door for rendering the control device effective for operation to stop the car.

6. In an elevator system for operating a car past a plurality of hatchway doors, control means for the car including a control device at each hatchway door, means responsive to operation of the car for rendering effective the control devices in a predetermined zone ahead of the car, and means responsive to operation of an effective control device at a door for stopping the car when it arrives at that door.

7. In an elevator system a bank of cars operable past a plurality of floors each of which is provided with a hatchway door for each car, control means for the cars including a normally ineffective up control device and a normally ineffective down control device at each hatchway door, and means responsive to operation of the cars for rendering effective the control devices in a predetermined zone ahead of each car for operation to stop the car.

8. In an elevator system a bank of cars operable past a plurality of floors each of which is provided with a hatchway door for each car, control means for the cars including a normally ineffective up control device and a normally ineffective down control device at each hatchway door, and means responsive to operation of the cars for rendering effective the control devices in a predetermined zone ahead of each car for operation to stop the car, and means responsive to the operation of an effective control device at a hatchway door for stopping the car associated therewith.

9. In an elevator system, a. bank of cars operable past a plurality of floors, each of which is provided with a hatchway door for each car, a signal device and a normally ineffective control device at each door, control means for the cars including means responsive to operation of the cars for energizing the signal devices and rendering efiective the control devices in a predetermined zone ahead of each car.

10. In an elevator system, a bank of cars operable past a plurality of floors, each of which is provided with a hatchway door for each car, a floor lantern at each door, control means for the cars including a normally ineffective control device at each door, and means responsive to operation of the cars for lighting the floor lanterns and rendering efiective the control devices in a predetermined zone ahead of each car.

11. In an elevator system, a bank of cars operable past a plurality of floors, each of which is provided with a hatchway door for each car, a

floor lantern at each door, control means for the cars including a normally ineffective control device at each door, and means responsive to operation of the cars for lighting the floor lanterns and rendering effective the signalling devices in a predetermined zone ahead of each car, and means responsive to operation of an effective control device at a hatchway door for stopping the car associated therewith when it arrives thereat.

12. In an elevator system, a bank of cars operable past a plurality of floors each of which is provided with a hatchway door for each car, a signal device at each door, a registering relay for each door, means responsive to operation of the cars for rendering effective the registering relays in a predetermined zone ahead of each car, a control switch at each door for operating the registering relay associated therewith and means responsive to operation of the registering relay for a door for stopping the car associated therewith when it arrives thereat.

13. In an elevator system, a bank of cars operable past a plurality of floors, each of which is provided with a hatchway door for each car, an up signal device and a down signal device at each hatchway door for use in indicating the direction of approach of the car associated with that door, a registering relay for each door, means responsive to operation of the cars for energizing the signal devices for the direction of operation of the car and for rendering effective the registering devices in a predetermined zone ahead of each car, a control switch at each door for operating the registering relay associated therewith, and means responsive to operation of an effective registering relay for a door for stopping the car associated therewith when it arrives thereat.

14. In an elevator system, a bank of cars operable past a plurality of floors, each of which is provided with a hatchway door for each car, a threshold lamp at each door, a signal device at each door, a normally ineffective registering relay for each door, means responsive to operation of the cars for energizing the signal devices and rendering effective the registering relays in a predetermined zone ahead of each car, a control switch at each door for operating the registering relay associated therewith, and means responsive to an operated effective registering relay for immediately lighting the threshold lamp at the door associated therewith and for stopping the car associated therewith when it arrives thereat.

15. In an elevator system, a bank of cars 0perable past a plurality of floors each of which is provided with a hatchway door for each car, a threshold lamp at each door, an up floor lantern and a down floor lantern at each door, a normally ineffective registering relay at each door, means responsive to operation of the cars for lighting the floor lanterns and rendering effective the registering relays in a predetermined zone ahead of each car, a push button switch at each door for operating the registering relay associated therewith, and means responsive to an operated effective registering relay for a door for immediately lighting the threshold lamp associated therewith and for stopping the car associated with that door when it arrives thereat.

16. In an elevator system, a bank of cars operable past a plurality of floors each of which is provided with a hatchway door for each car, a threshold lamp at each door, an up floor lantern and a down floor lantern at each door, a normally ineffective registering relay at each door, means responsive to operation of the cars for lighting the floor lanterns and rendering effective the registering relays in a predetermined zone ahead of each car, a push button switch at each door for operating the registering relay associated therewith, means responsive to an operated effective registering relay for a door for immediately lighting the threshold lamp associated therewith and for stopping the car associated with that door when it arrives thereat, and means responsive to the stopping of the car for lighting the floor lantern for its direction of operation and maintaining it lighted while the car remains at the floor.

HENRY D. JAMES. 

